A New Beginning
by Erin Salvatore
Summary: AU/AH. Caroline Forbes is newly divorced and starting over in a new city with her daughter, Jasmine. One day, after picking Jasmine up from school, she meets Klaus Mikaelson, a widower raising his young son, Liam, on his own, after an expected fender-bender.
1. Chapter 1

**A New Beginning**

**by Erin Salvatore**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: I got this idea and I wanted to share it. It's a Klaroline AU/AH (yeah, I've been getting ideas for Klaroline stories a lot, but I don't mind, since they're such an awesome couple!). Anyway, the plot is this: Caroline is newly divorced and she and her daughter are starting over in a new city. One day, she meets Klaus Mikaelson, a widower raising his son on his own, when he accidentally rams into the back of her car.**_

_**Don't ask, I'm in a weird mood.**_

**Chapter 1**

Caroline Forbes tried not to appear too rattled as she walked into the school. She had gotten a call from the nurse a while ago, telling her that her daughter, eight-year-old Jasmine, was sick and she wanted to go home. When she asked why, the nurse said that she had an upset stomach and threw up just before the last class of the day. Caroline bit her lip, mostly because she knew the reason Jasmine had gotten that way. Before they moved here to Richmond, Caroline had gone through a messy divorce from her husband, Damon Salvatore. Theirs had been a bit of a rocky marriage from the start and Damon had slept with her best friend, Elena Gilbert, an indiscretion that Caroline could never forgive him for, and to make things worse, he had the balls to propose to Elena during the procedings. The nerve of that bastard!

The only good thing that came out of it was that Caroline got sole custody of Jasmine, requesting that Damon not receive visitation rights because she didn't want her daughter to be around her father's new fiancee and pick up any bad habits. Once the divorce was finalized, Caroline dropped her married name and went back to her maiden name, Forbes, which she insisted Jasmine use as well.

After what seemed like an eternity, Caroline arrived at the nurse's office and saw Jasmine in a fetal position on the couch. A concerned look on her face, Caroline went over to the couch and knelt by the little girl, brushing her cheek with her hand. Jasmine smiled weakly at her mother.

"What's the matter, sweetie?"

Jasmine's smile faded. "My tummy got sick."

"Well, don't worry, love, I'll take you home and give you some soup," said Caroline. "Would you like that or do you think you won't be able to keep it down?"

"I think I can try to keep some soup down." Jasmine sighed. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

"No, honey, don't be sorry," said Caroline. "I'm not mad at you. These things happen." She stood up and looked at the nurse. "Thank you for taking care of her. I think I know why she got sick. All of these changes happening so fast and I think it finally caught up with her."

The nurse nodded. "She's lucky to have such a wonderful mother like you, Miss Forbes. Most mothers in your position wouldn't give two riffs one way or the other. I wish you a lot of luck, and I hope Jasmine feels better."

Caroline smiled and nodded, helping Jasmine up off the couch and grabbed her bag, which had been dropped off at the nurse's office just before Caroline arrived. She hated the fact that her daughter was sick, and being in a new city and in a new school with all these strange children wasn't helping matters either. Of course, she doubted that she and Damon were still married, things would've any better.

_Later..._

Caroline stole glances at Jasmine, who had fallen asleep during the ride home. The poor thing, she knew what being a child of divorce was like, since she was one herself. _I guess things have come full circle. My parents divorced when I was younger, and now I'm divorced. I can't blame Jasmine for getting sick at school. All the stress of our situation was too much for her to take and it was bound to catch up with her sooner or later._

No sooner did she complete that thought than Caroline felt something hit the back of the car. Biting back a curse, she stopped the car and killed the engine. Before getting out, she looked at Jasmine, hoping that she hadn't been disturbed. Thankfully, the girl was still asleep. Shit, that kid could probably sleep through the apocalypse. Caroline then stepped out of the car and saw the driver of the car behind her assessing the damage. Scowling, she approached him.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" she said. "You rear-ended me! I have a sick child in the car and..."

She got cut off when she saw the driver look at her. Shit, he was gorgeous, with short, slightly curly dark blonde hair, greenish blue eyes that would make even the strongest of women turn to putty, a body that was being hugged in all the right places by the henley shirt and blue jeans ensemble he was wearing, and lips that were begging to be kissed and nibbled.

"My apologies, miss," he said. "I wasn't looking where I was going, and if you'd like, I can pay for the repairs."

Caroline shook her head, discouraging any impure thoughts she might be thinking. "You really don't have to do that. I have insurance." _Bullshit, you don't have any insurance. Whatever you did have, it was in Damon's name. Son of a bitch, I hope he has a heart attack and dies while he has sex with that slut, Elena._

"No, no, I insist," said the man. "This was my fault, and therefore, I want to make this right." He cleared his throat. "By the way, I'm Klaus Mikaelson. What's your name, love?"

"Caroline. Caroline Forbes."

"It's lovely to meet you, Caroline," said Klaus. "It's a shame it couldn't have been under better circumstances." Noticing the passenger side door opening, he added, "Liam, stay in the car."

Caroline blinked at that. "Liam?"

"My son," said Klaus. "I just picked him up from school a few minutes ago." He saw Liam getting out. "Liam Niklaus, I told you to stay in the car."

Caroline saw Liam approach them. He looked like he was about Jasmine's age. "But, Dad, I wanted to see if the lady was okay. She also mentioned that she had a sick kid in the car with her and I was curious about that too."

"I'm fine, Liam," said Caroline. "Jasmine and I are both fine." She smiled at the boy. "I appreciate the concern, though." She looked at Klaus. "He's a very polite little boy, Klaus. You and your wife must be proud of him."

Klaus frowned a bit. "My wife passed away two years ago."

Caroline blushed at her error. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault," said Klaus. "You didn't know." He sighed. "This sound forward of me, but can I buy you a cup of coffee? It's the least I can do. Besides, I feel terrible about hitting you."

"Oh, I'd love a cup of coffee," said Caroline. "But, I'll have to take a rain check. My daughter isn't feeling well and I have to get her home. You see, we just moved here about two months ago, and things haven't exactly been the best for her. For either of us, actually."

Klaus nodded. "It's all right. Another time then." He saw her get out her cell phone. "Are you sure have insurance? If not, I could help pay for this, like I offered to earlier."

Caroline found herself unable to dial. Damn it, that accent of his was just as gorgeous as the rest of him. She could probably marry him for that alone. Plus, he was being a gentleman about the whole thing. _Probably setting a good example for his son. You don't get that very often._

Sighing, she said, "All right, Klaus, you win. You can help pay for the damage. When I said I had insurance, I...kind of lied. You see, everything was in my husband's name and..." She scoffed. "Shit, I don't know why I'm telling you this. I barely know you and I'm about to tell you my life story."

Klaus said nothing, just listened to her and looked at her. She was beautiful, with long, golden blonde hair that had a gentle curl to it, blue eyes that rivaled the afternoon sky, a body that he could no doubt imagine caressing as they made love in his bed, and lips that he wanted to kiss.

He was about to say something when he saw Caroline's daughter climbing out of the car, no doubt curious about what was going on. Liam smiled at her, having gotten his proof. Caroline turned around when she saw Jasmine approaching them.

"Jasmine, what are you doing out of the car?"

"I heard people talking," she said. "Mommy, what happened?"

Caroline looked at Klaus. "We sort of had a little accident. This nice man is offering to pay for the damage to Mommy's car."

Klaus smiled. "Is this your daughter?"

Caroline nodded. "Yes. This is Jasmine. Jasmine, this is Klaus and the little boy next to him is his son, Liam."

Jasmine waved shyly, earning her a shy wave from Liam as well. Klaus smiled again. "She's beautiful, Caroline. I hope she feels better soon."

Caroline nodded again. "Thank you."

Klaus took out his cell phone and dialed his insurance company, informing them about the accident he had been in, that the cars sustained minimal damage, and that no one was hurt. Once he was done, he put his phone back and looked at Caroline.

"All settled, my insurance company is going to help pay for the damages."

"That's good to know," said Caroline. "Hey, uh, listen, thanks for staying and helping, Klaus, even though you really didn't have to." She cleared her throat. "My apartment is a couple of blocks up the street, so I think I'll walk the rest of the way." She looked down at Jasmine, who had been standing next to her. "Get your bag, honey, we're almost home."

"Would it be too much trouble if I walked you home?" said Klaus. "I live close to where you are, and I'd hate for you two to walk that way alone."

Caroline wanted to say no, that he had done quite enough for her already, but something told her he was going to insist on it anyway, being a gentleman and all. _My God, he just can't seem to do enough for me, can he? His wife must've been lucky to have him when she was alive. I'll bet she's smiling down on him from heaven right now for helping a complete stranger._

"Okay, sure," she said. "I mean, what the hell, right?"

Klaus nodded and, urging Liam to follow him, took Caroline's arm and led her down the two blocks up the street to her apartment. Liam carried both his bag and Jasmine's. Jasmine couldn't help but smile as she saw what he was doing for her. Obviously, his father taught him well if he was acting like a little gentleman.

When they arrived at the apartment, Caroline cleared her throat again. "It was nice meeting you, Klaus. Thank you again for what you did for me."

"It was no problem, Caroline." He planted a chaste kiss on her knuckles and then handed her a slip of paper. "Here's my number. My offer for that cup of coffee still stands. When you're ready, just give me a call."

Caroline nodded, taking the paper from him. Liam gave Jasmine her bag before doing the same thing his father did. Caroline then used her key to open the door to the building and walked in, Jasmine following close behind her.

_**Note: Thus begins another Klaroline AU/AH by yours truly. There will be romance in here eventually. For now, I wanted our leads to meet. Oh, and Liam and Jasmine go to the same school, they just don't realize it yet. They will, though, I promise.**_

_**Reviews are love! What do you think?**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "A New Beginning," Caroline meets Klaus after an unexpected fender bender.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Klaus' Apartment – Saturday..._

Klaus smiled to himself as he put the finishing touches on the sketch he was making. Ever since he met Caroline a few days ago, he had been surprisingly cheerful, even more than when his wife, Andie, was still alive. In fact, if he didn't know any better, he'd say that he met the woman of his dreams. Would wonders never cease?

He was brought out of his reverie by a knock at the door. Funny, he didn't remember inviting anyone over today. He was about to move when he heard Liam heading toward the door.

"I'll get it, Dad!"

The boy approached the door and before he opened it, he peered through the key hole so see who it was, just like his father had always taught him. "Who is it?"

"It's Uncle Elijah, Liam."

Liam smiled and unlocked the door, opening it to see his uncle standing there. "Uncle Elijah! What are you doing here?"

Elijah returned his nephew's smile. "I'm here to see your father. I haven't heard from him in a few days and I came to see if he was all right." He cleared his throat. "Is he here by any chance?"

Liam hesitated. His father had told him specificially not to let anything or anyone disturb him while he was working and Liam didn't want to disobey his father. He was about to answer his uncle when he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Klaus approaching them.

"Elijah. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

Elijah nodded at his brother. "I haven't heard from you in a few days, Niklaus, and I wanted to see if you were all right."

Klaus smirked. "Oh, I'm better than all right." He nodded at Liam. "Liam, let him in."

Liam nodded and stepped back, opening the door further and letting his uncle walk in before closing the door behind him and going off to his room to play.

For a few minutes after the brothers were left alone, there was a silence before Elijah cleared his throat. "So, Niklaus. What have you been up to since we last spoke? I trust you have something worth telling me?"

Klaus smiled again. "Funny you should ask, brother. I have met the most beautiful woman in the world. Blonde hair the color of the sun. Eyes the purest blue I have ever seen. A body that any man worth his salt would sell his soul to the devil himself for a chance to caress. Lips that..."

"I get the picture, no need to describe her any further." Elijah sighed. "How did you two meet?"

"You might say it was by accident," said Klaus. "You see, I was driving Liam home from school and I didn't see her car in front of me. Next thing I know, we get into a bit of a fender bender." He saw Elijah's eyes go wide. "Don't worry, she's not hurt. I offered to help pay for the repairs on her car and, after some resisting, she agreed."

"Well, at least the poor woman didn't get hurt, that's a good thing," said Elijah. "I'm curious, though. Was there anyone else in the car with her?"

"Yes, she had a little girl with her about Liam's age," said Klaus. "Her name was Jasmine. Sweetest little thing you'd ever meet."

"And will you see the lovely Caroline again? Or was this just a one-shot deal?"

"Oh, you know me, Elijah," said Klaus. "Once I set my sights on something, I pursue it. I will most definitely be seeing Caroline again. In fact, I gave her my number after I brought her home. This way, she's certain to call me and we can arrange to see each other again."

_Elsewhere..._

Caroline read off the items on the list as she and Jasmine were shopping. It had been a rough few days since the fender bender and she was stuck with a rental car until the repairs were done. The good thing that came out of it was the sexy Good Samaritan that was Klaus Mikaelson. Wait, did she really just think that? True, the guy was attractive, but sexy? She barely knew him enough to make that assumption.

She was so focused on her shopping that she didn't notice that someone else was making their way down the same aisle as she was until she heard the sound of shopping carts colliding. Looking up, Caroline saw the other person directly across from her.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," she said. "I was...kind of distracted."

The other shopper just smiled at her. "Oh, that's okay, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going either." He extended his hand to her. "Tyler Lockwood."

Caroline nodded and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Tyler. I'm Caroline Forbes." She looked at Jasmine, who was looking at him as well. "This is my daughter, Jasmine."

Jasmine smiled. "Hi."

Tyler returned the girl's smile and then looked at her mother again. "Say, you look familiar. I feel like I've seen you before."

Caroline laughed slightly. "I guess I have one of those faces. My mom is a sheriff and she says that she could probably pick me out of a line-up." She then eyed him curiously. "So, Tyler, do you make it a habit of running into people's carts, or was this just a chance thing?"

"Oh, this was totally random," said Tyler. "And if you're worried that I'm interested in you, don't be, because I only like women as friends. I'm more into guys."

Caroline nodded. Great, what were the chances of meeting a gay guy in the grocery store? _Probably about the same as a hot widower with a son the same age as my daughter hitting my car two blocks from my building._ "Well, I guess you're curious about why I was distracted?"

"I'm not just curious, I know," said Tyler. "You were thinking about some unbelievably gorgeous guy that you met."

"Yeah, that's it exactly," said Caroline. "The weird part is he's a widower with a little boy my daughter's age, and I'm not exactly looking for a relationship right now because I just got divorced about two months ago."

Tyler placed a sympathic hand on her shoulder. "Awww, honey, I'm so sorry."

Caroline shook her head. "Don't be. It was kind of messy, since the guy never appreciated me during the time we were married." She then felt Jasmine tugging on her sleeve and looked at her. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Come on, Mommy, you said we wouldn't be long."

Caroline looked at Tyler again. "I'm sorry. My daughter is a little antsy, which is a sign that she's feeling better after that upset stomach she had at school a few days ago." She cleared her throat. "It was nice meeting you, though."

"Likewise," said Tyler. "One more thing, though. The widower you met, do you think you'll see him again?"

"I don't know, maybe," said Caroline. "He gave me his number, so I guess that means he wants me to call him. He did kind of offer to buy me coffee, so I suppose I'll take him up on his offer."

_**Note: There you have it, Chapter 2. Fear not, Caroline will call Klaus. I'm just building up to it. And yes, Tyler is gay. I just haven't decided who he's with yet. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "A New Beginning," Elijah comes to visit Klaus and he learns about the fender bender. Caroline and Jasmine meet Tyler Lockwood while shopping.**_

_**Thanks for the reviews so far! I apologize for the delay in the updates, I've been busy lately with other writings and stuff in my real life. Anyway, since I'm here, I thought I'd update. No spoilers, just follow along.**_

_Caroline's Apartment – 2 Hours Later..._

Caroline sighed as she sat on the couch, reading a book. Jasmine was in her room, playing with her toys. Of course, Caroline found it hard to concentrate on what she was reading, her mind all over the place. She then put the book down and picked up the piece of paper with Klaus' number on it. Should she call him? Or should she wait for him to call her? Of course, how could he call her when she didn't give him her number the day he gave her his?

Deciding not to put it off any longer, Caroline picked up the phone and dialed Klaus' number. She ran a hand through her hair as she waited through one ring and then another. She wondered if he was home, but then it occurred to her that it was Saturday and that meant he probably was home.

At the third ring, she heard Klaus' voice on the other end. "Ah, Caroline, I was wondering when I'd hear from you."

"Really? Well, then it's a good thing I called you then, huh?"

"Oh, definitely," he replied. "How's your daughter? Is she feeling better?"

"Jasmine's feeling better. I took her to the doctor this morning and he gave her some medicine," said Caroline. "But, she's really rallied, so there's no reason why she shouldn't have a full recovery." She sighed. "Though, I didn't call you about that."

"Of course," said Klaus. "So, what did you call me about?"

"I've thought about your offer for coffee and I wanted to take you up on it," said Caroline. "That is, if it still stands."

"Oh, it _definitely_ still stands," said Klaus. "Would today be too soon?"

"I don't really have anyone to watch Jasmine," said Caroline. "I'd have to bring her with me."

"Then, bring her, I don't mind," said Klaus. "Tell you what, I'll bring Liam with me. That way, the children can get acquainted." When she didn't answer, he added, "Come on, Caroline, take a chance. I won't bite."

Caroline wanted to argue further, but she knew that it would fall on deaf ears anyway, so she decided to cooperate. After all, this could turn out to be a good thing.

"All right, Klaus, you win," she said. "I'll bring Jasmine with me so that all four of us can have a good time together." She sighed. "Plus, it'll be good to take my mind off of the stress I've been dealing with lately."

"Anything you'd like to talk about?"

"Oh, it's just some stuff," said Caroline. "Nothing that you can help me with." Not giving him a chance to reply, she added, "Look, how about we continue this conversation at the cafe? If we keep talking on the phone, we'll have nothing to talk about over coffee."

"You're right, of course," said Klaus. "But, this doesn't mean you're off the hook about discussing that 'stuff' you don't want to talk about. One way or the other, I'm going to get you to talk about it."

Before Caroline could ask what he meant, he hung up. Rolling her eyes, she then got up off the couch and went to Jasmine's room, where she saw the little girl playing happily with her toys. She really had to admire seven-year-olds. They had the uncanny ability to bounce back from anything.

_I envy her sometimes, _she thought. _I wish I could be that resilient._

Jasmine looked up and saw her mother standing in the doorway. "Who was that you were talking to, Mommy?"

"That was Klaus, the nice man that helped us out when we had our accident the other day," said Caroline. "We're going to meet him and his son at the cafe, having remembered that he offered to buy me coffee."

Jasmine noticed the smile on her mother's face. "Do you like him?"

"Like him? Me?" said Caroline. "I don't even know him."

"You were smiling while you were talking about him," said Jasmine. "If that's not an indication that you like him, I don't know what is. Trust me, I may be seven, but I know a lot more than you think."

"I know, and that's what scares me sometimes," said Caroline. "Now, hurry up and get ready. Klaus and Liam are waiting for us. We're their guests, and it's not polite for the guests to keep their hosts waiting."

Jasmine said nothing more, just nodded and, leaving her toys where they were for now, she put her shoes on and, after grabbing her jacket, followed her mother out of the apartment and then out of the building.

_A Short While Later..._

Klaus smiled as he saw Caroline and Jasmine approaching them. He had taken the liberty of saving seats for them. Liam smiled as well, having been looking forward to seeing Jasmine again. He had seen her at school, yes, but this was extra special.

Caroline couldn't help but smile back, as well as laugh at the cuteness of it all. "You are too much, you know that?"

"Well, I am a gentleman," he replied. "As such, I find it proper to save a seat for a lady."

"Apparently." Caroline took her seat across from Klaus, while Jasmine took hers across from Liam. It was quiet until Caroline spoke again. "So, are you going to order for me as well, or are you leaving that to me?"

Liam then chimed in before his father could say anything. "He did, actually. He ordered you a mocha cappuccino, light on the milk, and whipped cream." He looked at Jasmine. "I ordered a strawberry milkshake for Jasmine here."

"Wow," said Caroline. "But, how did he know that I like mocha cappuccinos?"

"Call it a lucky guess," said Klaus. "Though, if you want to know the truth, it was because I've been known to drink one from time to time. I suppose that comes with being an artist."

Caroline and Jasmine looked at each other and then Jasmine looked at Klaus. "No way. _You're_ an artist?" She looked at her mother again. "Come on, Mommy, how can you not like him? He's an artist, therefore he's creative, passionate."

"Jasmine, stop trying to play matchmaker," said Caroline. "You don't even know if he likes me."

Klaus raised an eyebrow at that. "And what makes you think I wouldn't like you, Caroline? I couldn't stop thinking about you since we met the other day." He took out a rolled up piece of paper and handed it to her. "Here's the proof."

Caroline took the paper from him and opened it to reveal a drawing that was done in a very tasteful way. It portrayed her in a gown and flowers in her hair, as well as feathery wings on her back. "Klaus, this is amazing. No, wait, scratch that. It's more than amazing, it's beautiful."

"It should be," said Klaus. "It's you."

"Is this how you see me?" said Caroline. "As an angel?"

"Yes," said Klaus. "In fact, you rival the angels, Caroline. I know, I know, that sounds awfully forward of me, but it's the truth." He looked at Liam. "Liam, why don't you and Jasmine go inside and look at the dessert case and pick out what you like? I want to speak with Caroline alone."

Liam nodded at his father. "Okay, Dad." He went over to Jasmine and extended his hand to her. "Would you like to see what kind of desserts they've got here?"

Jasmine reluctantly nodded and took Liam's hand, allowing him to lead her into the cafe. Once the children were gone, Klaus looked at Caroline. He wanted to know exactly what it was that she couldn't discuss with him over the phone.

"Care to tell me what you couldn't tell me on the phone?"

Caroline sighed. She couldn't believe he was still on that. _Guess I'll have to tell him now, _she thought. _If I don't, he'll keep insisting that I tell him._

"Okay, I'll tell you," she replied. "But, I warn you, it's not pretty." She sighed. "You see, the thing that I've been so stressed about is a lot more serious than the fact that you've been haunting my every thought since our encounter. It concerns my ex-husband."

"The one who has everything in his name?"

"That's the one," said Caroline. "We didn't really have a solid marriage. I thought he loved me and that he'd take care of me. Boy, was I wrong, because I come home one day and find him in bed with my best friend. I told him right then and there that I wanted a divorce. The proceedings, of course, were a mess. To top it all off, he had the nerve to propose to his little whore in the middle of everything."

Klaus nodded, finding it hard not to hate this man for what he did. "And what about Jasmine?"

"I got sole custody of her, thank God," said Caroline. "No way in hell I'm letting that son of a bitch raise her. Chances are she'd pick up bad habits from her father's...whatever the hell she is to him. They can kiss my ass for all I care."

"And what is this bastard's name?" said Klaus. "I want to know in case he shows up unexpectedly."

"Damon Salvatore," said Caroline. "Don't ask what possessed me to marry him, because even I don't know. I guess you could say I was young and stupid. Not to mention that I fell for his bad boy charms." She sighed. "As far as him showing up here, I doubt he will. He doesn't even know where we live anyway."

"Doesn't hurt to be prepared." Klaus gently placed a hand on top of Caroline's. "He won't hurt you again, Caroline. I'll make sure of it."

"Klaus..."

"Let me finish," said Klaus. "What he put you through was disgraceful. Men like him aren't worth the air they breathe. You deserve better than that."

Before Caroline could say anything, Klaus leaned in and kissed her softly. Caroline returned the kiss after the initial shock wore off, not sure why she was doing it, but was enjoying it anyway. _He's quite a kisser, _she thought. _His wife must've enjoyed them when she was alive._

From their place at the window, Liam and Jasmine were watching this scene unfold and giggled slightly. They knew that Klaus and Caroline would do this at some point and it amazed them that it was happening right here and now.

_**Note: Better late than never, huh? Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "A New Beginning," Caroline calls Klaus and they meet for coffee, during which Klaus learns more about her and they share a kiss.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews! You're awesome! No spoilers, except the action takes place two weeks later.**_

_2 Weeks Later..._

Caroline scowled curiously as she got out of the car. She had gotten a text message from Klaus earlier telling her to meet him at a local club, where they were holding a Karaoke Night. Karaoke? Was he serious? The last time Caroline sang karaoke was back in high school. Deciding that it wasn't worth questioning the reason behind the request, she went to the club. Well, it wasn't exactly a club, it was more like a quaint little restaurant. Still, it seemed like an ideal place to meet and maybe share one's vocal talent.

Since she was fairly certain that this was more of an adult thing, Caroline had left Jasmine with Mrs. Harris, one of the neighbors that she had gotten to know. An added bonus was that Mrs. Harris had a little girl Jasmine's age, so at least Caroline didn't have to feel guilty about her daughter not having anyone to play with.

As she approached the door, Caroline got the sneaking suspicion that someone was following her. She tried to dismiss it as nothing, but the feeling got increasingly stronger. That was weird, who could be following her? She didn't give anyone any reason to stalk her, so it seemed strange that she would suddenly feel like she was being watched.

_Stay calm, Caroline,_ she thought. _No one is following you, just there's no need to get all paranoid. Just try to enjoy the evening and everything will be fine._

Taking one last look around to see if the coast was clear, Caroline walked into the building, where she saw Klaus seated at a table near the bar. Smiling, she went over to him.

"Hey, is this seat taken?"

Klaus looked at her and smiled. "No, I saved it especially for you." He watched as she took her seat, smiling again as she took her jacket off. "You look beautiful tonight, love."

"Thank you," said Caroline. "I wasn't sure what to wear, so I just threw this on and left." She raised an eyebrow at him. "So, Klaus, what sparked your interest in karaoke? I didn't know you could sing. I assumed that you were only talented with a sketch book."

"Don't be so quick to judge me, Caroline," said Klaus. "Who knows? I might just surprise you." He gently placed a hand on top of hers. "How about you? Do you sing?"

Caroline smiled. "Well, I don't want to brag, but I can carry a pretty good tune. I won a few contests when I was younger. Now, I might be a little out of practice here because it's been a while since I actually sang. But, as you said, I might just surprise you."

Klaus nodded when she said that. He was definitely looking forward to hearing her sing tonight, mainly because he had had a dream last night where he was sitting in a 1920s speakeasy and as he sat there, he saw the curtain on a stage open and a beautiful blonde stepped out, approached the microphone and, as the band began to play, sang with a voice every bit as beautiful as the woman herself. As he listened to her song, Klaus got up from his chair and went over to her, enchanted by her and wanted to kiss her. Of course, that was always where the dream ended, leaving him frustrated and wanting more.

_Perhaps tonight, my dream will come true and I'll get to kiss my little blonde song bird, _he thought.

Caroline then got up from the table and went to look at the list of songs. She had a certain song in mind and she wanted to be sure that it was available. As she walked, Caroline felt the feeling of being watched again. Shit, her "stalker" was here! Caroline shook her head to try and get rid of it, but the feeling got worse. Looking toward the jukebox, she saw her "stalker,"stopping dead in her tracks. She didn't have to guess who it was, because she already knew who it was. She knew those piercing blue eyes from anywhere.

"_Damon."_ His name came out in a frightened whisper. Great, what was that bastard doing here? More importantly, how did he know she was here? Shit, did Mrs. Harris tell him? These and a host of other questions flooded her mind and her heart hammered. She tried to make herself move, but her legs failed her and she was forced to watch as Damon made his way toward her.

"Hello, Caroline."

Caroline panted and then said, "What the hell are you doing here, Damon?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"It is if you make a habit of stalking your ex-wives." Caroline scowled at him. "Seriously, though, what the hell are you doing here? We're not together anymore. I'm pretty sure that Elena is wondering you are."

Damon sighed. "Okay, you want to know the reason I'm here? Caroline, I've been doing a lot of thinking and maybe I made a mistake. Yes, I love Elena, but I'm not _in_ love with her. Shit, Caroline, it's always been you."

"Oh, bullshit," said Caroline. "If you were so in love with me, as you claim, I wouldn't have caught you in bed with my best friend. I didn't want to be second fiddle, Damon, so the best way I could think to prevent that was to get out while I could and take Jasmine with me."

"That was the unkindest cut of all," said Damon. "Damn it, Caroline, how could you just take my daughter from me?"

"I had no choice," said Caroline. "I didn't want her to be exposed to what you were doing."

It was here that Klaus was seen coming toward them. He had gotten concerned when Caroline didn't come back to the table and wondered what was taking her so long. When he got close enough, he saw that she was talking to a man. This had to be asshole ex-husband she told him about.

"Is this man bothering you, Caroline?"

Damon looked at Klaus, eyeing him up and down. "Who the hell are you?"

Klaus scowled. "Someone you _don't_ want to piss off. I believe that the young lady doesn't want you here, mate, so I suggest you leave before I have to throw you out myself."

Damon sneered at Klaus and then looked at Caroline again. "Oh, I see what's going on here. You're pissed because I slept with Elena and for revenge, you're sleeping with _him_. You just don't wait for the body to get cold, do you, Caroline? You call Elena a slut, and here you're doing the same."

"You stupid piece of shit, Klaus and I aren't sleeping together," said Caroline. "True, I like him and think he's a great guy, but we're not sleeping together. Not _yet_, anyway."

"I can't believe you," said Damon. "Here I came here to convince you to take me back, and you're considering being this man's whore."

Klaus growled upon hearing him this and, grabbing Damon's shirt collar, he made the other man look him in the eye. "Don't you _ever_ say that again. Caroline is not a slut, and she never will be. If that is how you feel about her, then I have no respect for you. You're lucky that I'm in a good mood tonight, or I'd take you outside and teach you a lesson in manners."

Caroline listened to this and couldn't help but admire what Klaus was doing. Usually, Damon never let anyone get away with talking to him like that. In fact, she half expected Damon to get pissed and punch Klaus in the face. However, Damon didn't move.

_That's funny,_ she thought. _Why isn't Damon doing anything? Is he afraid of Klaus or something? No, that can't be true, because Damon isn't afraid of anyone. I've seen him beat the stuffing out of a guy just for looking at him wrong._

Damon snarled at Klaus and pushed him away before looking at Caroline, his blue eyes full of contempt. "This isn't over, Caroline. You may have won this round, but I'll be back. You may think I'm lying about being in love with you, but I mean every word of it. I may be marrying Elena, but you still mean the world to me, and so does Jasmine."

With that, he stormed out of the building. Once he was gone, Caroline looked at Klaus. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, Klaus. I didn't know Damon was going to be here. I mean, I did have this feeling that someone was following me, but I didn't realize that Damon was following me until I saw him and..."

Klaus placed his index finger on her lips. "Don't ever think you have to apologize for anything. You really didn't know your ex-husband would follow you." He pulled her into his arms. "When he does come back, he's going to have a hell of a fight on his hands, because I won't let him take you from me."

Caroline looked up at him. "Does...that mean that..."

"Yes, Caroline, I find myself falling for you," said Klaus. "I've felt that way for weeks now, but I didn't want to tell you too soon, so I chose to bide my time."

Caroline found herself rendered speechless by that. Though, she wondered if he was telling her this because Damon had shown up or he meant it.

"Are you really falling for me?" she said. "Or are you just saying that because Damon was here?"

"I meant every word," said Klaus. "I really do have feelings for you."

Caroline smiled and hugged him. She now knew which song she was going to sing. Excusing herself, she went to the stage and grabbed the microphone, looking out at the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, before I begin, I'd like to dedicate this song to a very special guy who's here tonight. I want him to know just how much I appreciate him. Klaus Mikaelson, this song is for you."

When the music started, she took a breath and kept her eyes on Klaus as she began to sing:

"_I've been down, now I'm blessed__  
__I felt a revelation coming around__  
__I guess it's right, it's so amazing__  
__Every time I see you I'm alive___

_You're all I've got__  
__You lift me up__  
__The sun and the moonlight__  
__All my dreams are in your eyes___

_I wanna be inside your heaven__  
__Take me to the place you cry from__  
__Where the storm blows your way__  
__I wanna be the earth that holds you__  
__Every bit of air you're breathing in, a soothin' wind__  
__I wanna be inside your heaven___

_When we touch__  
__When we love__  
__The stars light up__  
__The wrong becomes undone___

_Naturally__  
__My soul surrenders__  
__The sun and the moonlight__  
__All my dreams are in your eyes___

_And I wanna be inside your heaven__  
__Take me to the place you cry from__  
__Where the storm blows your way__  
__And I wanna be the earth that holds you__  
__Every bit of air you're breathing in, a soothin' wind__  
__I wanna be inside your heaven___

_When minutes turn to days and years__  
__When mountains fall, I'll still be here__  
__Holding you until the day I die___

_I wanna be inside your heaven__  
__Take me to the place you cry from__  
__Where the storm blows your way__  
__And I wanna be inside in your heaven__  
__I wanna be inside__  
__Where the storm blows your way___

_And I wanna be inside your heaven__  
__Take me to the place you cry from__  
__Where the storm blows your way__  
__And I wanna be the earth that holds you__  
__Every bit of air you're breathing in, a soothing wind__  
__I wanna be inside your heaven."_

When Caroline finished her song, Klaus smiled as he applauded and went up to the stage, embracing her, and kissing her. Just let Damon try to come between them, he was definitely prepared to fight for Caroline. Hell, he'd kill the bastard if he had to.

_**Note: Here we go, an update. I have a feeling that Klaus isn't going to let Damon move in on his territory. I don't own "Inside Your Heaven." It was borrowed because I thought it was appropriate for what I wanted.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


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